Japan’s Xperia Z1 comes with some upgraded features

Earlier today, a leaked brochure from Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo appeared to reveal the full specifications of the Japanese Xperia Z1 (SO-01F) and the Xperia Z1 f (SO-02F), the mini version of the Xperia Z1. Seriously though, if that ‘Z1 f’ name sticks, we’d like to know what Sony is smoking.

Anyway, it’s no surprise that Sony is planning to launch the Xperia Z1 in Japan, we have been waiting for confirmation of its existence since the Z1 western launch took place at IFA. The handset is expected to hit NTT DoCoMo (SO-01F) and au by KDDI (SOL23). The spec sheet reveals that the Japanese Xperia Z1 will be getting some nice extra features not seen in the global version.

The Japanese version will get an IR blaster, Full-Seg/NOTTV support as well as 32GB internal storage (the global Xperia Z1 only has 16GB). The dimensions of the DoCoMo Xperia Z1 is exactly the same as the global version (144 x 74 x 8.5 mm), although the weight is 1g heavier at 171g.

Now we can understand that smartphones in Japan are often tailored for that market, particularly when it comes to the addition of TV tuners. However, we know that pretty much everyone would have liked that infra-red sensor and 32GB internal storage – especially considering the dimensions are unchanged.

We really hope Sony starts to add an IR blaster to more of their phones in 2014. Only one of Sony’s smartphones has this feature, the under-rated Xperia ZL. We hope every flagship going forward has one, as we’ve found it incredibly useful in the ZL.

sony mobile brazil has confirmed the tv tunner function in brazilian version of Z1

Mint

The fuck? Why don’t we get 32GB? Guess that’s why Sony is not very popular worldwide.

http://www.youtube.com/user/taltigolt Jonathan Gustafsson

that bezel looks even thinner

and here we are stuck with the leftovers like always

leftover screen and leftover hardware

aks

Its not surprising samsung does.similar special inclusions or extra. Freebies for korean sets

SinaKing

WTF Man ?!
I Want This Model …

Guest

Maybe they will pack all the additional features in for the US version, ie IR blaster, TV Tuner, 32GB internal storage. That would be sweet!

Raj Singh

Import from Japan.
But, totally agree with you… every Sony phone should have an IR blaster.
I use the remote control app on my Xperia tablet all the time — sucks I can’t do the same with my Xperia phone.

Makiz

Go to Japan and buy this Sharp Aquos Phone 302SH and SHUT THE FVCK UP!

sfordesign

don’t dream. the US version always will always be bad and late

sfordesign

japanese only brings the best for japanese, no surprise here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/taltigolt Jonathan Gustafsson

now add the design of the z1 to that metal frame glass or metal back and change the buttons at the bottom to true capacitive android buttons

and we have a winner

C0DmG

DAT COMMENT!
Meanwhile in Syria, people die every day…

Mac

thank you XperiaBlog for bringing this up. Finally some ppl might complain a bit more so we get the IR Blaster that we need. The ZL wasn’t even released here in Sweden until like a couple of months ago n uhm, well let’s say it’s about 2 late now considering both the ZR and Z are cheaper..

Tams80

Really Sony, really?! As the article states, SEG is understandable, but the IR and 32GB?! My Nokia N900 had those!

Luckily I might be going to Japan soon, but still. REALLY?!

Tams80

There will likely be carrier the restrictions that at best make an imported one annoying and at worse make it unusable.

Thiago

Yep!!! o/

John

Best of Sony? Only if you’re Japanese!
Jesus fucking Christ! What a joke! This is Sony’s FLAGSHIP model, flasghip Z1 and yet the global version is the best of CHEAP Sony! Inferior screens, less storage and no IR blaster. Compare this to a 6 month old HTC One – with a better screen, 32GB as standard and IR blaster included! What a fucking joke!
Did Sony not check out the competition? Did they not think well what can we do to beat the competition? Obv. not! Why couldn’t they give us that? That’s all we bloody wanted! It’s really not that hard!
The Z1 isn’t a flagship, it’s what the Xperia Z should have been! No wonder no one trusts Sony anymore.
Like i said – best of CHEAP Sony!

dereknobuyuki

I don’t know why people keep saying “IR Blaster” when it should be IrDA which better conveys that it is about two way communication (predominantly for passing contact information between phones) rather than just changing the channel on your TV.

Odds are the price of the Docomo handset is more expensive than other markets. The one-seg type technologies are important for building out a docomo eco-system so they can sell more stuff to consumers and the IrDA sensor/compliance is required for compatibility with existing garakei, etc (and may be the only market that requires it). IrDA adoption has always been really high in Japan like FeliCa and MiniDisc have had their popularity before other markets. I for one could easily live without my mobile phone having a TV Tuner or IrDA. As for the 32GB, I think that would largely depend on the carriers requests balanced against price points.

xperiax10.awesome

Best of Sony – only for Japan !! Why the h*ll international version cannot get 32gb internal storage and IR blaster !! Sony always screw their fans !!

rafimessi

I have been using my z1 for a week now definitely missing the IRblaster
About the screen! Its freaking awesome the viewing angles are not bad at all they wash out only at a very extreme angle!
In love with the phone!

tonkotsu

umm then include all those nice features in the unlocked version they’ll be selling from the USA website?

If everybody find that it is normal then they won’t change anything in the future, they have to know that their customers diagree with this shit.

Adrian Widyo

What The HELL !!!!!
Why global version only 16 not 32 !!!
The best of sony only in japanese…why ??

Sony..please dont make all ur fans dissapointment
Please sony…dont only “make.believe” in japan…but in the WORLD…

I hope sony can fix it…
make.believe

s-emo

maybe the extra 16GB are soldered at the empty SIM card holder?

Sen. Rockie

If Sony wants to be the best then they have to stop these Japan exclusive features. 32GB internal storage is important for heavy gamers, as you can’t move game data to external SD card unless u root ur phone and swap those partitions.

guest

Read / write speed is falling for an increase in ROM.

Guest

Maybe sony fanboys should send an email to Mr. Kazuo Hirai about this stupid thing

josesl16

Yeah, I mean, it’s only the fastest phone in the world, it’s camera is so crap in that it’s only the best in Android and only the best auto camera around, it’s design is so bad that it looks(arguably) the best out there, and on top of that, there’s only 3000mAh of battery that could last for days, what a joke compared to the competition, right!?!

Silverwagon

Hey guys, I can understand the complain about the smaller memory (although I personally found 16GB is more than enough), but what about the IR blaster? What are you guys going to use it for? TV remote?

b9876

Because it is not IrDA. IrDA is not compatible with consumer electronics IR sensors, uses different framing of data packets.

In the past, some phones with IrDA could be used for controlling consumer electronics, but it was by bypassing the drivers and controlling the chip on lower levels than intended.

b9876

Nooo, the capacitive buttons are worst thing that happened to android.

Sony, please keep the software buttons, thank you very much.

Ryan Liao

Japanese phone’ s IR blaster is just for data transfer has nothing to do with remote control.

silverwagon

We used to to download the photos from those Japaneses photo sticker machines onto our W800i upon taking and customizing the photos (photo sticker machines was very popular in Asia)

Sai

that’s what you get for bombing hiroshima

TheBrick™

Or, never again Sony.. LOL

TheBrick™

Why?

TheBrick™

But, they love that bezel, look at that down voted…ROFL

http://www.youtube.com/user/taltigolt Jonathan Gustafsson

i hated not being able to hide those things when ingame

Raj Singh

I have an unlocked, unbranded Xperia Z Ultra (C6833) from Hong Kong and I have experienced zero restrictions on Rogers’ network in Canada. Regardless, an IR blaster and 32GB storage space should work whether carrier restrictions exist or not. I don’t care about the Seg/NOTTV support.

ice4banday

I was planning on buying this beast of a phone. Then I get to know there is a 32gb version of the phone with an IR blaster for Japan only.

I don’t think you understand how locked down Japanese phones can be. Many just will not work outside Japan; full stop. Some are fine, especially the ones intended to be used international (for business customers), but many are certainly not. Trust me, phone CPR is no fun (if you don’t understand what that is, then you don’t understand how locked down they are).

Hong Kong is completely different. They just have slightly different firmware e.g. The Nokia N8’s FM transmitter is disabled in the Hong Kong firmware, but it is easily replaceable. Also, Hong Kong doesn’t have SEG, isn’t part of Japan and has carriers that are present worldwide e.g. Three.

Tams80

There’s a difference between straight importing a phone intended for somewhere else (through third parties) and a phone company providing the phone for that country.

The first doesn’t require the cooperation of Sony, the second (which is what you are asking for) does and would cost them a significant amount.

Tams80

Precisely that.

Tams80

Can’t tell if being sarcastic or not…

tonkotsu

I never disputed that. I was saying that sony should be putting those features on the unlocked model they always have on their US website. (you can buy unlocked phones directed from their website) I’m not asking to import the one from japan.

I looked at all the japan bashing comments. I am happy for you all, now go away.

They will probably try to charge us 80000 yen for that toy, but you can’t just buy it, you need the 2 year bondage^W contract…

And to be quite honest, I’ve never seen anyone using the IR tranfer thing, or watching 1-seg (or even tv) all they do is use LINE or play puzzledragons.

Red Salmon

Its camera isn’t that great. The photos aren’t that much better, if better, when compared to other phones that came out this year.

igel

WHY?! I don´t care so much about the 32gb…but the infrared is really cool! Although SONY should make a global version – only one, no special area versions!!!

SONY please change that!!! just think about the money you can if you just have to produce ONE phone…mass production!! ;-P
i´m very satisfied with my Z1, but i think next time i buy a new SONY-Phone i will travel to japan to buy it there!

Babylonbwoy

Yes, I didn’t think about that, if you’re right we are living in a global world market and competition is hard in this business, if Sony don’t change anything and if people feels they aren’t respected they will see somewhere else if another company fits theirs needs. Just my opinion.

Remember that few years ago Sony was evil in dev community now they are praised even by XDA, in france we have something that says “only dumbass never change their mind”, so…

dereknobuyuki

Okay, then there’s gotta be a better phrase to use. (Something better than an IrSimple transceiver, etc)
They used to market mobile phones here in Japan with IrDA and then later IrSimple.

I think the key point though is that IR for mobile phones in Japan is/was traditionally for sending and receiving data more with other devices than any other reason. It was never powerful enough to reach distances great enough to control a TV, etc though.

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